Penn eager to face Edgar...again

It's been a year since B.J. Penn has heard his name called in the middle of the octagon and the Hilo native is ready to make his return.

The road on the back end of his 15-year MMA career may be torn to shreds, but the one ahead of the 34-year old is still paved with opportunity. That's the perspective for Penn, who for the second time, will act as a coach for the ufc's reality show "The Ultimate Fighter."

"I was just hanging around the house, hanging around the town, doing typical things," Penn told me, "Next thing you know I get a phone call. I never thought i was going to throw another punch with that intention. Next thing you know, I'm filming the ultimate fighter show with that intention."

"It was a much different experience for me to go through it because I look at things different. It was a really good growing experience for me to go through the show again."

Penn may be seven years younger than the last time he served as a coach on TUF, but his intent is very much the same; redemption.

In 2007, the payout for Penn was rival Jens Pulver who was the opposing coach and someone who delivered Penn the first loss in his MMA career seven years prior.

This time around, the opposing coach on TUF is Frankie Edgar, the very one who stripped Penn of his UFC lightweight title back in 2010. And, the very one, who Penn is 0-2 against.

"The only reason i came back was to fight Frankie Edgar one more time. I was only going to fight one or two more fights and maybe see if we could get a fight with Frankie Edgar, but Edgar had an opening and me and him got put on the ultimate fighter show and this is the fight i want."

"We'll see, i close this fight out and maybe go down as one of the greatest fighters."

That distinction will likely never be in question. Penn is a lock for the UFC hall of fame. But before he hangs up his gloves for good, his goal is to set another milestone in MMA history.

"Dana White asked me to take the fight of the 145 pounds and that's where it is right now. I don't think it's a problem to make the weight. Plus it'll be nice to be the first guy to get three championships in three weight divisions. That'd be nice."